Our Story

Our Story

For over 100 years the Browne family and staff at Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels has serviced and continues to serve the community with compassion and understanding.

Over 100 Years of Tradition

In 1883, J. Francis Browne joined the family home furnishing business serving the Thompsonville section of town. Born into a family of hard workers he took it upon himself to start a second career as a licensed funeral embalmer. From 1883 into the 1920's he operated out of the Browne Furniture store located on the corner of Pearl street and High street in Thomsponville. The Browne Furniture Company delivered furniture and household items by horse and wagon and transported caskets to many homes the same manner.

At this moment in time the heart of Thompsonville's commerce was the Bigelow carpet factory. Many of the factory workers and their families lived in tenement buildings. In order to get the caskets into the families homes, windows or doorways would often need to be dismantled. Hoists and pulleys would have to be used to winch caskets up to second or even third floor apartments. Some but not many of the old colonials houses in town had "casket doors"specially designed to accommodate caskets. It is quite possible that many of these old homes may still have these doors to this very day. 

The growing demand for J. Francis Browne's embalming services quickly became a main staple in not only Thompsonville but the entire Enfield community. In order to keep up with demand, the Browne family transformed their furniture business into a family owned and operated funeral business. Providing families with funeral garments and preparation of the families deceased. During this time period, J. Francis Browne would prepare the deceased in their very own homes, often times in their bedrooms. For generations this was the way death had been handled, with the deceased being "laid out" in their own homes, "parlors." 

With the growing demand for J. Francis Browne's embalming service his brother, Daniel "Danny" Browne, entered the business an followed suit becoming a licensed embalmer. A short while after Danny started working along side his brother, J. Francis Browne's three sons took an interest in the business and began working in the family trade.

Before J. Francis Browne seniors death in 1950 he accomplished a great many things in the community and will forever be a prominent Enfield citizen: he was elected as the first Irish mayor of Enfield, he ran for state comptroller, he was a delegate at the 1940 Democratic National Convention, he was a state licensing agent for funeral directors and embalmers. In Enfield he was a member of virtually every club, organization, or civic group in the community, including: Kiwanis, Rotary, and Knights of Columbus. He founded the Thompsonville Board of Trade, which evolved into the Enfield Chamber of Commerce. Also, he founded the Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission. People remember him as a very giving man, who believed in always giving service to others before himself.

In 1936, the three sons of J. Francis Browne opened Browne's Funeral Home, at 121 Pearl Street in Thompsonville. Soon after in 1937, the brothers purchased their second funeral home, a beautiful home in Stafford Springs. The purchase of these two funeral homes allowed the Browne family to better service the community and the growing demand for funeral services.

In 1973 J. Francis "Bud" Browne III joined his father in running the family business at the funeral home in Thompsonville. They worked together for seven years until Frank's death in 1980.  

J. Francis "Bud" Browne along his wife Cheri Browne and their three children: Brielle Browne, Joseph "BJ" Browne IV, and Nicholas Browne carry on the family name and tradition of serving the Enfield community. 

The Browne family has serviced the Enfield community for over 100 years and will continue to service the community from their facility at 43 Shaker Road, Enfield, CT 06082.
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